We've added a few festive touches to a sweet scene on the way back from a pre-Christmas walk. The dogs do look posed, but I swear they aren't. Cross my heart.

You know how dogs are, they usually want to sit up front with you. On this perfect morning, our clever crew all shouted "Shotgun!" at exactly the same time, then instantly self-assembled into a tight, polite formation.

So cute, I just had to pull over and take a picture. It felt like a family photo moment, which, in a way, it was -- a dog pack photo moment.

Your Dog Walk Happy pack is a healthy and fun part of your dog's day. This was a particularly adorable moment, and I'm glad I got to share it with you so the pack could join me in wishing you the very warmest Dog Walk Happy holiday wishes.

Happy Holidays to you all, and
the best to you in 2017.

To my Dog Walk Happy clients,
I can't say it enough: I am deeply
Thankful for your business in 2016 and,
Along with all of us Dog Walk Happy walkers,
We are grateful to have you and your sweet
Furry friend in our lives.

Whitby and Oshawa Dog Walker — from $15 For a 1-Hour Walk That Your Dog Will Love

My name is Miranda and your dog will love going out for fun, rigorous walks with me and the pack

Whitby and Oshawa, Ontario area dog owners have relied on Dog Walk Happy's fun and professional dog walker services since 2009.

Call me today for a meet-and-greet with you and your dog so we can get your pooch set up for the regular exercise, play and fresh air that will make your dog more lovable and more loving.

♫♫ Packs like us, baby we were born to rrrun. ♫♫ neer-Neeeer neer neeer....♫♫

Your dog lives to run. With friends. So we go to fantastic off-leash spaces in the Whitby and Oshawa area to get your four-legged family member totally tuckered out and totally happy.

I bring the Dog Walk Happy pack to natural and adventurous leash-free locations in the region.

Almost to the leash-free fields, and Simon manages to find some jostle-free space out in front.

Lots of super sniffables and lots of room for your dog to run. Run, Maddie, run!

These are the places where your dog and I will walk and run.

And whether it's walk or run, one way or the other we'll get your dog's blood pumping and tail wagging 'til they're dog tired, feeling fantastic and ready to share with you just how much they're loving life.

Lovely Jorja loves the muck. And after a fresh water rinse-off, I love the tons of towels back at the van. "Love" may be a bit of an overstatement for all the wiping down. C'est la vie. I ♥ dogs.

I am a life-long dog person with, I think, a genetic need to have dogs like yours in my life

Those early walks were with my mom, of course. But soon, Honey was my responsibility (mostly). And I would bring along neighbours' dogs now and then so Honey could enjoy some dog socialization.

Today, Dougal is our family dog, a loveble English Springer Spaniel.

Our pup Dougal, up at a Peterborough park having a grand (if futile) time bounding through the field grass trying to sniff out a stick I tossed into the green..

In high-school and university, I fostered dogs and cats from various shelters. Between high-school and university, I worked full-time with veterinarians and kennels. I administered meds, trimmed nails, bathed all kinds of dogs, walked the dogs, cuddled the dogs and learned more and more about dog behaviour and socialization.

And did a lot of scooping. Quite a lot of scooping. Lots and lots and lots of scooping.

And I still love dogs.

I will love walking with your dog and being with your dog. And I will do all I can to give your dog as much love and care as you do.

Simon and Maddy, our energetic and feisty pack pal twins.

Are you in Oshawa, Whitby, Brooklin or Courtice? This is the general Dog Walk Happy service area...

Oh, are you located a smidge outside the border? We fix. If we're already going to be near you to pick up a dog for a walk, we'll be happy to scoot over and pick up your pooch. Give me a call right now and I'm sure I can figure something out for you: (905) 903-7787.

As a dog walker certified in dog-CPR and first aid, your loved one is safe with me

Every day, my prime goal for your dog is to make sure they have fun and reach a healthy and satisfied end-of-walk fatigue whenever we go out.

At the same time, though, my prime responsibility as your dog walker is to make your dog's adventure as safe as possible.

I take this responsibility seriously, and I have completed the internationally recognized Pet First Aid training program. This intensive hands-on, multi-day program includes the steps to take in a range of emergency situations, how to handle bleeding wounds and bone injuries, how to perform artificial resuscitation and CPR, how to manage poisoning and heat/cold injuries, and more.

So, while I do everything I can as your dog walker to prevent dangers from occurring in the first place, if an accident does happen, or if your dog suddenly becomes ill I will effectively stabilize your dog until we get to the vet.

I know the vets in the Whitby and Oshawa area, so wherever we go dog walking you can be confident that your pooch is going to be okay.

Fortunately, after thousands of Dog Walk Happy walks, there have been cuts and scrapes and bumps and bruises here and there, but they happen rarely and everyone's healed up fast and gotten right back out to run with their pals.

Dog Walk Happy is fully bonded and liability insured to protect you from "incidents"

You place your pet in my care and, for a few seconds before and after our dog walking, you place your house in my care. This is a serious responsibility to me. I want you to know that you are legally and financially protected by my comprehensive liability insurance and bonding policies.

This is probably also an appropriate time to assure you that I am not a klutz and to let you know that after years in this business there haven't been any "incidents." Even my own home is still intact with Dougal-the-canine-missile racing around. I'm careful. Your vases will remain upright. :-)

Me with Sophie, the pack's beautiful and delightful Basset Hound. In the background, Dougal the English Springer Spaniel, my loyal, loved and cherished first lieutenant.

...and on your Dog Walk Happy YouTube channel

Lots of videos and pix of all the fun and funny moments your dog gets mixed up in as all the dogs all tucker themselves out racing around with their buddies and buddettes. Click Subscribe in the channel page header and you'll get an email link the moment a new video goes up.

You'll love sharing your dog's dog walking moments...

...winter, spring, summer or fall, all you've got to do is call up Dog Walk Happy videos. You're going to love tuning in to the fun, the frolics, the antics and the delight of getting out and becoming part of a natural dog pack.

The videos are almost as good as coming out dog walking with us. Except, for you, probably better because you don't have to drive around and pick up and drop off all of your dog's new friends. .

Speaking of enjoying the dog walks, you are always welcome to actually come out walking with your dog's pack pals anytime you like. Hop in the van and come walking with your dog's pack in person. You'll love the dog pack experience and the fresh Whitby air, and you'll walk off a calorie or two in the process. So, come join the fun.

Now and then I make some healthy and tasty dog treats for our dog Dougal. Savory ones are just a wee bit salty. Sweet ones are just a wee bit sweety. All of them are Dougal-tested so when I share a few with the pack, you know they're not just healthy but also super scrumptious.

I do admit that my Dougal, like every dog, will eat just about anything he can scarf down his pie hole, but Dougally-woogally truly does enjoy them.

My eldest, labouring at the kitchen counter, preparing dog treats. A hard worker, this one. I think "child labour" is a bit of a harsh label for this pre-dawn chore; personally, I prefer "hyper-minor seemingly voluntary commercial productivity." Sure, she may appear a little work-weary here, but you have to ask yourself: What darling toddler wouldn't look haggard every single morning after dragging herself to the kitchen following 75 minutes of gruelling chimney sweeping, driveway shoveling, leaf raking and garden weeding?

During your dog's walk, I sometimes combine a treat or two with the behaviour skills you ask me to reinforce. It helps me stay on the same page you're working on with your dog.

A few moments with Roxy, working on some distraction-proofing exercises during a pause in our walk.

Most of all, your dog will enjoy a great walk outside that they will look forward to each time. Like I do too.

Let's schedule our meet-and-greet today. I come to your home with a few questions to meet you and your dog, you bring your pooch and all the dog walking questions you have, we see how we all get along, then we get you set for your dog walking times.

More vids with your dog walking, running and having a ball

And a-one, and a-two...

FYIs

Dog treat recipes

Your dog gets one of my dog treat recipe winners... if they behave. Okay, even if they don't. I can't help it.

Why your dog eats grass

Usually it's just a tasty snack for them, not some behavioural indicator that they're ill. As long as you know the grass is not chemically sprayed and is not contaminated in some other way, it's okay.

Dog night vision?

Dogs have better night vision than humans but they don't have real night vision. What they have is a back-of-the-eye feature called a tapetum ludidum (something we humans don't have) that reflects the little light that does reach their eyes. So their brain has more light information to process so they can "see" better for late-night squirrel chasing.